Launceston City v Hobart Zebras

91′ Campbell sends the free kick in looking for the back post and it hits the crossbar!

90′ Mercuri with a great save and out for a corner that City look to run the clock down with by holding it in the corner. Which Zebras get frustrated with and concede the foul.

89′ Sub for City On: Rossetto Off: Brookfield

Groenewold looks to have moved up to central midfield as time ticks away from Zebras.

85′ Mies lays it off to Compagne at the top of the box he tries to curl it home but it’s over the bar! Compagne again with a chance this time getting on the end of a long ball and volleying just wide of the front post.

80′ Sub for Zebras On: Ackerly Off: Muller

Clark has been good for City in goals so far today, clean hands for every cross Zebras have whipped in looking for Sanders and Huigsloot.

Zebras seed to have pushed Huigy on to play alongside Sanders now as they chase this game.

Sub for Zebras On: Backhouse Off: Mckeown 70′ Zebras with a good opportunity, Sanders bringing down a cross and slipping Mckeown in behind to cross it in, but Mckeown delivery was poor and easily dealt with.

Not much to report about the last few minutes. Shouts for a handball in City’s defensive box but Kopra waved it away.

Zebras with the ascendancy at the moment!

60′ Muller sends in a free kick from wide to the back post, it’s headed back across goal and Groenewold looked to be in perfect position to smash it home but it’s blocked and out for a corner.

57′ Not sure what happened there on the otherside of the ground but Goold looked to have just left it to Mckeown, but his effort was straight at Clark.

54′ Great ball by Kadisha on the right to the 6 yard box, it’s too perfect for Huigsloot who must have lost it in the lights and it hits him in the side of the head. Great chance there to level.

52′ Great save by Mercuri at the near post from Williams.

Mercuri is down and Gary Pitchford makes his way onto the pitch to assist. Whatever Pitchford did it worked instantly and Mercuri back up!

50′ City take a quick free kick slipping it in behind the wall. Walsh gets tripped by Muller in the wall leaving Williams in acres to cross its into the mixer but City can’t get the the final touch.

47′ Buga tries to curl one goal ward but flashes just wide of the post.

Back underway at Buckby Land Rover Park

It’ll be interesting to see how Zebras come out of the sheds after half time. Groenewold isn’t having his best game after trialling for NPL VIC sides midweek, perhaps his mind is elsewhere, while their other star player Mathew Sanders is struggling to make his make on the game. Zebras do have dangerous players to get one or two back though so definitely not out of this!

Half time – Launceston City 1 – 0 Hobart Zebras

Approaching half time here at Buckby Land Rover Park, neither team looks like troubling the scorecard, City have been the better side, especially early. Zebras, while they look good in patches are largely looking a bit lost for answers when going forward.

41′ Sanders attempts to lay a ball off but unlike him gets it all wrong but still has it, crosses to the back post that is cleared by Butler but to the back post where Buga and Kadisha are lurking but a City defender gets their in time to concede the corner.

38′ City are continuing to win the ball high up the park, Mies this time defending from the front and wins the ball back. He composes on the ball and strikes from distance but slices it wide.

36′ Mahony takes the goal kick and gets some on it passing the half way line and clearing everyone. Hey tracks back, Mercuri comes there’s a little mix up that Degetto is alert to he nabs it but can’t direct his effort on target.

33′ Groenewold almost sells the farm with a wayward pass out from the back that is straight to Campbell. Campbell spots the run of Williams in behind and crosses but it’s misses Williams head and out for a goal kick.

31′ Muller having trouble with the corner flag blowing in his way while trying to take the corner so he takes it out. Brenton Kopra instructs him to put the ball back in. Corner is to the front post to Huigsloot but he can’ts direct it on target. Walsh back on 27 minutes played.

Brookfield brings down Walsh near the right corner flag. Walsh is still down after a minute, game has stopped while he receives assistance. The resulting free kick sails over by Sanders

21′ Nathan Butler gets the ball stuck under his feet and Sanders nabs it through on goal. He tries to chip Clark but it’s straight into Clark’s hands!

17′ GOAL! Dylan Williams picks the ball up in acres of space 25 yards out, takes a touch elects to shoot and en route to goal it takes a little deflection, hits the post and rolls behind the line. Launceston City 1 – Hobart Zebras 0

Williams goes down after a 50/50 challenge, play on, he stays down for a while but eventually gets up gingerly.Zebras with a nice passage play there, Walsh firstly almost turns in on goal, Sanders with a good flick but it all ends with Buga offside.

6′ Crossbar! Williams whips in a free kick from out wide to the back post. Mahony rises highest and heads it smack, bang onto the cross bar and back into play that is cleared by Zebras. City looking the sharper of the two sides early on.

1′ City press right from the get go with Soupy Campbell pinching the ball high up the park, releasing Williams who just over hit the pass to Compagne and Mercuri gathers.

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The appetite for a professional sporting franchise down here remains as ravenous as ever. Tasmanian’s love their sport and they have been starved of representation in National competitions, looked over time after time. The AFL clearly won’t be the ones to sate that hunger, thus FFA finds itself with the chance to both fill that gap in the market and strike a blow against the AFL in one fell swoop.